Forestry Sub-sector Policy (2010 – 2019).

The Forestry Sub-sector Policy is a national sectoral policy of the Gambia for the period 2010-2019. Its main objective is to provide the Department of Forestry's core policies and a set of minimum standards for organizational management. It establishes a clear departmental position in areas that have previously depended only on precedent, interpretation of rules and regulations, procedures and concepts. It sets out and defines certain principles and provides a basis for accountability. It gives consistent benchmarks against which to monitor and assess practice.
The policy, binding on all parts of Department of Forestry, aims at: (i) the improvement of the living standards of the citizens through poverty reduction and forest resource enhancement initiatives; (ii) the institutional empowerment for the effective decentralization of forest resource management (iii) the encouragement of coordinated effort in the forestry sub-sector (iv) the improvement of the Department of Forestry capacity of effective management of forest resources.
The Department of Forestry's policy intends to achieve the following specific objectives: (i) strengthening the institutional capacity of the Department of Forestry and Non-State Actors involved in the management and implementation of natural resource programmes; (ii) further integration of Department of Forestry into the medium and long-term national development framework; (iii) ensuring that Department of Forestry creates multiplier effects on forest resource management and the domestic economy in general; (iv) technology transfer to decentralized structures and development of indigenous technology in forest resource management; and (v) promoting efficient and unified systems for forest resource management.
The principles governing the actions of the Department of Forestry are the following: - The principle of quality, seeking best practice and cost effective work of the highest quality. - The principle of innovation. - The principle of partnership and synergy, which allots different responsibilities and respects the mandate, rights and obligations of all parties. - The principle of devolution, which confers to local government reforms and decentralization.
The Policy implementation will build on the existing strengths, experience and innovation in order to mobilize the capacity and introduce new technologies and methods in all aspects of its work and organization.